'My phone is my life'

KRIS NIELSON: 'When I go to bed it’s right beside me and it has to be charging so it doesn’t go flat.’

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The Waikato is full of smartphone addicts, and Kris Nielson is mainlining his mobile.

The Hillcrest resident checks his smartphone through the night, but reckons he still sleeps well.

But he does take his phone to the bathroom with him when he has a shower.

"My phone is my life in a way," the 33-year-old says.

"When I go to bed it's right beside me and it has to be charging so it doesn't go flat. If I leave it accidentally and I get half way down the road, I have to turn back to get it - even if I'm just going to get milk.

"It's a bit annoying really because I remember when you used to have the old phones . . . you didn't care [about them]. But now the phones are more advanced. If I wake up at 2am [on pay day] I'll check my bank account on my phone . . . then I'll quickly check Facebook and Gmail. I'm definitely a phone addict."

For Huntly's Chelsea Rowney her smartphone use is starting to impact on her life.

The 20-year-old often wakes up at night to check her iphone5 and what is happening on her social media sites.